Pocket clips



P. K. KONTLER Dec. 2, 1958 POCKET CLIPS Original Filed June l, 1956 'y 1 lI INVENTOR:

PETER K. KoNTiER United States Patent O POCKET CLIPS Peter'K. Kontler, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Original application June 1, 1956, Serial No. 588,817. Divided and this application February 18, 1958, Serial No. 715,935

3 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.01)

This invention relates to clips for attachment of writ ing implements and the like to the selvage of a pocket,

and more particularly to a safety device for closing the gap between the open end of a clip and the removable cap of the implement when its working end is in exposed position for use. The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 588,817, led on J une 1, 1956.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a safety device which positively prevents attachment of a pocket clip carrying implement to the wall of a pocket or the like when its working end is exposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic safety device of the above character which requires no additional steps for its actuation excepting those inherently required for the operation of the implement. j

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the described character which requires no changes in the accustomed shape of the pocket implements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic device capable of locking a pocket clip which is actuated when the cap is placed onto, or removed olf, the rear or non-working end of the implement.

A more specific object of t-he invention is to provide safety clips and locking means therefor particularly adapted for use in writing implements.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a reliable safety device for pocket clips requiring fewadditional parts and only slight modifications in the existing elements.

While the more recent, so-called pushbutton writing implements, wherein a projecting knob at the rear end of the device causes the expulsion or the retraction of the working point enjoy wide acceptance by the purchasing public, .a removable cap which is used as an extension for the pen barrel in writing position or as a protecting sheath for the working point when the pen is not in use continues to be a standard part of many fountain pens, pencils, as well as many other pocket implements, such as certain instruments for doctors, nurses, electricians, etc. When speaking of writing implements, for example of a fountain pen, an exposed writing end may produce ink stains if the pen is inserted into the rpocket while open, especially if it be left therein for an extended period of`time, as the liquid will ooze by capillary attraction until its lsupply is exhausted and the owner is unable to use the pen if an ink bottle is not available.

The present invention is based on the recognition that no actual damage is done if the user of the implement discovers immediately, i. e., during the attempted attachments of the device to the selvage of the pocket, that the working point is still exposed. To draw the users yattention to the omitted transposition of the cap off the rear and over the working end, the gap between the free end of the clip and the cap is closed in that the clip is pivoted by the rear end of the barrel in a manner to reduce or close ice ` adjacent peripheral portion of the cap.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomes aparent in the course of.

the following description of an embodiment selected for illustration in the accompanying drawing, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, i

Fig. l is a vertical section through the cap of a writing implement embodying the novel safety device, thecap being placed over the writing end of the pen; j

Fig. 2 is a view of the cap of Fig. 1 in similar section, with the cap placed overthe rear end of the pen andthe lsafety device in operative position to prevent attachment of the clip to the selvage of'a pocket; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section" taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1. fr

Referring now in detail to the illustrated embodiment, and first to Figs.1 and 2, there is shown a ball point pen cap 10 having an open receiving end 11 and a rear end 12. A clip 14 is pivotally attached to the cap 10, the latter having a pair of vertically aligned slots 17, 26; the lower slot 17 receives the ball 16 at the free lower end of the clip, and the upper slot 26 receives .an enlarged projection 27 at the upper end of the clip. Clip 14 is pivotally mounted on a pin 30 between the anges 29a, 29h of an annular member 28 (see Fig. 3) which is recessed in the linner wall of the ycap 10. In Fig. l, the ball point 25 at the writing end 24 of barrel 22 is inserted into the cap 10 which leaves the projection 27 of clip 14 partially inside the cap. A leaf spring 31 causes the projection 27 to abut against the lower wall 32 of slot 26 which limits the pivoting movement of the clip in one direction. The ball 16 is then sufficiently distant from the slot 17 to permit attachment of the pen to the pocket with the selvage entering between thecap 10 and the clip 14. The spring 31 is attached to the clip at one of its ends and positively retains the pocket wall in the slot defined 'by members 10, 14 while also tending to pivot the clip in a direction to cause entry of projection 27 through the slot 26 and into the cap when the rear end 23 of the barrel is not inserted.

When the suitably formed rear end 23 of the barrel i 22 is inserted into the cap 10, it engages the projection 27 causing the clip 14 to pivot about the pin 30 against the force of spring 31. The ball 16 at the lower end of the pivoting clip enters the slot 17 to prevent attachment of the pen to the pocket selvage. When the cap 10 is removed frorn the rear end 23 of the barrel, or placed over the writing end 24 thereof, spring 31 immediately pivots the clip 14 in the opposite direction and thus renders the clip ready for attachment to the pocket. The length of the two portions of clip 14 above and below the pivot pin 30 is so chosen that a slight movement of projection 27 causes a greater travel of the ball 16, whereby the projection 27 need not, or extends only slightly, out of the cap 10.

It willv be seen from the `foregoing that I have provided a reliable automatic locking device for the clips of Vpocket implements which is actuated by the rear or nonworking end .of the barrel when the same is inserted into,

of my invention and its illustrations were given for the 1. In a pocket implement, injclombination, an clon-v,

gated barrel having a working end and a rear end; a protecting capV receiving one end of said barrel, said cap having ay closedend, an open end, a rstaperture in the proximity of Vthe open end and a second aperture in the proximity of the closed end thereof; a pocket clip having a rst extremity adjacent to the rst aperture and a second extremity adjacent to the second aperture in said cap; means for pivotally connecting Vthe clip to saidcap at a point intermediate the extremities of said clip; resilient means operating between said cap and said clip for constantlyurging the clip into a position in which its seco-nd extremity extends through the second aperture and into saidcap; the rear end `of said barrel being of such transverlse dimensions as to engage the second extremity of said clip when inserted into the cap and to pivot said clip into a position in which the rst extremity of the clip is at least partially received in said iirst aperture; and the working end of said barrel being of such transverse dimensions as to bypass, when inserted into the cap, the second extremity `of said clip whereby the first extremity of the clip remains spaced from the first aperture in said cap.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said resilient means is ,a spring attached to the clip intermediate its first extremity and said means for pivotally connecting the clip to said cap, and further comprising means for limiting the extent of movement of the second extremity of said clip into the cap.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally connecting the clip to said cap is disposed at a point closer to the second than to the rst extremity of said clip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,850,086 Segal Mar. V22, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 969,334 France May 17, 1950 

